This text, The Adept’s Journey: Mystic Paths, continues Derrat’s work from a decade ago by further exploring adepts and their magic. Through this we gain a better understanding of our province, the forces that shape it, and the — at times enigmatic — magic around us. Personal accounts from adepts inform us of their journey and the Paths they take. Twelve of Barsaive’s most prominent Paths were selected, along with two unusual Disciplines, and a third which some adepts consider a distinct Discipline but can be classified as a different face of another Discipline, adapted to particular location and people.
Adepts help shape our world through actions and magic, but it cannot be understated how Paths can carry traditions through generations, combining history with purpose in a way that has a great effect on our land even if we don’t immediately recognize it. They're mysterious by their very nature, jealously guarding their secrets from outsiders. The similarities between different Paths is often lost because of this secrecy. Paths share numerous commonalities despite their obvious differences, just like Disciplines themselves.
The similarities in structure between Paths and Disciplines lead some researchers (not to point fingers, but they're Wizards) to suggest Paths are “proto-Disciplines”. They hypothesize if a Path grows large enough, diverse enough, the tent accommodating enough perspectives, it outgrows the original intent and becomes something else. That something else is naturally a Discipline. There’s no evidence to support any of this, but it pleases their need to categorize everything and put them in boxes with tidy labels. Perfectly understood and immutable once in the box.
No one has presented solid evidence Disciplines have True Patterns. If they do, and that is a mighty if, they are too vast and complex for even the most learned to comprehend. The hypothesis presented regarding Paths becoming Disciplines — this idea of a “proto-Discipline” — is pure speculation, perhaps even wishful thinking.
— Trastyl of the Scarlet Order
Most Paths know little of their “true” origins, being lost to time or the stuff of legend. However, one Path in particular, the Brothers of Stone, is unique in their precise knowledge of how they came to be. They began as a group pattern with a purpose that grew over time, outlasting their founding members. As the group pattern grew and further developed its purpose, rituals, and traditions, it became something more — it became a Path as we understand it. How exactly this happened isn’t known — though I have Scholar colleagues proposing preposterous controlled experiments to better understand after my presentation at a symposium on the topic — nor if it's a common trait across Paths, or a specific genesis for only that Path. It certainly doesn’t fit into a neat little box.
To further the notion of how much is supposition and inference versus some objective truth, we can contrast what we know of the Brothers of Stone with Outcasts. They have no organization and it's difficult to attribute them with a purpose from the outside. There seems to be no formal initiation process among the followers, nor advancement. However, understanding them yields their unique shared honor that gives them purpose and a ritual that sets them on their Path.
As noted previously, the most important trait Paths have in common is purpose. They don't arise from nothing with no reason to exist. Not all have the a common drive or ties that bind them together, but the followers are still bound and recognize it, perhaps even lament it. Along with this are their shared history and traditions. Without these, the Path’s pattern unravels. The tradition and rituals reinforce the pattern, each is an affirmation of the past and future, a continuation of threads stretching in both directions.
With these rituals and traditions come secrets and power to those who follow a Path. While I cannot speak for all, my Path, while ever prone to share information at the drop of a hat, is unwilling to divulge our secrets to the uninitiated. It extends beyond an unwillingness — part of our blood oath as Scholars means we are forbidden from sharing them. If we shared them, my Path loses cohesion, our purpose snags, the rituals are no longer shared, and it unravels.
Paths also change their followers at a fundamental level; change how their followers see and practice their Discipline. Sometimes it's almost undetectable, such as a Swordmaster who follows the Tail Dancer path or a Wizard who follows the path of the Scholar. With others it's more pronounced, such as my colleague Sirandi Ne’Thellis, a Warrior and Scholar. Those who you can convince to share their Karma Ritual — something deeply personal and I recommend you never approach a troll with such a query — note how it changed after they initiated into their Path, took on characteristics symbolic of their new Path.
Paths represent an avenue of growth for adepts who find them on their journey. As a group of powerful adepts bound by a shared purpose, their actions shape our world by advancing their goals. They also are an opportunity to perhaps understand more of our magic, though often leave more questions than they provide answers. Despite the best attempts of this text to provide many different perspectives and context, they don’t fit in tidy little boxes.
Paths are True patterns that modify the Discipline used to weave a thread to it. The majority of these True patterns are organizations of adepts brought together by a common cause or ethos, though this isn’t always true — troll Outcasts represent a notable exception.
Joining a Path requires being accepted by the True Pattern, which typically involves acceptance by senior members (at least rank 5) of the Path, completing an ordeal, performing the initiation ritual, and taking the Path’s blood oath.
Once completed, the adept learns the appropriate knack for the Path and weaves a rank 1 thread to the Path’s True pattern (see Player’s Guide, p. 225 for the Weaving Difficulty). The Legend Point cost to learn the knack and weave the thread is provided with the Path Knack descriptions. This gives the adept rank 1 in the Path’s talent, which also functions as the thread rank to the True pattern. The initiation ritual replaces the normal time required to learn the knack and Path talent, and weaving the thread is a Standard Action (if the Thread Weaving test fails, it can be repeated without penalty, though there may be some good-natured ribbing).
The details of the initiation process are unique to each Path; the more formal the organization, the more formal the initiation process. As well, each Path’s blood oath is unique based on the expectations of the followers. All blood oaths require 2 Blood Magic Damage for as long as the adept is a Path follower and require the adept keep the Path’s secret knowledge and techniques.
The Thread Weaving talent used for this process is important and indicates the Discipline joined to the Path. Any references to Discipline specifically refer to this Discipline, as well references to “Thread Weaving” refer to the Thread Weaving talent associated with that Discipline.
The adept’s thread rank to the Path and their Path talent rank are synonymous — the talent rank only increases when the thread rank increases.
The Path talent gives a rough idea of the adept’s standing in the Path organization and respect from other members; the follower gains their Path rank as a bonus to Interaction tests when making an impression and asking for favors of other Path followers (Gamemaster’s Guide, p. 143). Improving this rank requires completing an appropriate Path ordeal, receiving permission from more senior Path followers, performing the advancement ritual, paying the required Legend Points, and weaving the higher rank thread (see Player’s Guide, p. 225 for the Weaving Difficulty). The details change for each Path, and the Legend Point cost for improving the Path talent and the maximum Path talent rank is listed in each Path. Like initiation, the advancement ritual replaces the typical time required to improve a talent and weaving the thread is a Standard Action which can be repeated without penalty if failed.
Each Path rank allows the adept to purchase a talent from the Path talent options list. Each list indicates the minimum required Path rank to learn the talents and the Legend Point cost to learn and improve the talents. The option for each rank must meet the minimum Path rank requirement; there’s no “saving” a talent option to get a higher rank later. Path talent options aren't limited by the maximum Path talent rank, this maximum only affects the Path talent. Adepts can spend Karma on Path talent options.
Beispiel is a Messenger rank 5 and can learn up to five Messenger talent options. All five talent options can be from the rank 1 list, but no more than one can be from the rank 5 list.
The follower can learn talent options as part of the meditation to increase their Path rank, or from a teacher later. If using a teacher, the teacher must be a follower of the Path who knows the talent (it doesn’t matter if they learned the talent through the Path or not). This can be simple for members of more organized Paths, but problematic for members of less organized Paths where followers are dispersed (or completely unorganized in the case of Outcasts).
Improving Path rank can also give the follower characteristic bonuses; these are not cumulative (e.g., +1 Recovery Test and +2 Recovery Test Path characteristic bonuses give the follower only +2 Recovery Tests, not +3). These are added to the Discipline’s characteristic bonuses. As per the rules, only the highest bonus applies.
Beispiel is a Seventh Circle Illusionist and Sixth Circle Nethermancer who became a Messenger through their Illusionist Discipline. At Messenger rank 5 they gain +1 Mystic Defense and +1 Social Defense. These characteristic bonuses are added to their Illusionist bonuses, giving them a total of +3 Mystic Defense, +2 Social Defense, and +1 Initiative Step from Illusionist. Only the highest of these bonuses from all their Disciplines apply.
Once an adept joins a Path, their Karma Ritual changes based on their new perspective, incorporating the Path’s philosophy into their own. The adept’s Half-Magic is also modified as described in the appropriate section.
Paths provide their followers access to a considerable number of knacks. These knacks are learned as normal if all requirements and a restriction are met. As with all knacks, if the adept no longer meets the requirements and the restriction used to purchase the knack, it cannot be used. Some knacks can be learned by anyone, though the Path typically gives earlier access through the restriction.
Knacks which allow Karma to be spent on a test are in addition to any typical Karma abilities and not from the adept’s Discipline.
Some knacks give the Path follower access to new spells. These spells are learned through the Discipline and threads are woven using the Discipline’s thread weaving talent, though the adept must still have everything required to learn and cast spells (e.g., Patterncraft, grimoire, and Spellcasting). While not required, spell matrices are recommended. Access to additional threads for these spells is determined by the Discipline’s Circle.
Followers who violate the Path’s blood oath are immediately in crisis or severed from the Path. If in crisis, the follower loses access to their Path talent and thread, and all associated Half-Magic, characteristic bonuses, talent options, and knacks where the Path talent was used to fulfill the restriction. If severed, the loss is permanent. Some Paths also convene councils to determine if followers have broken the spirit of the Path or to confirm the Path crisis, severing them in the same fashion. This is never undertaken lightly, but Paths are serious about policing their membership.
Adepts in crisis must atone for their transgressions by completing an appropriate ordeal. This is handled much like ordeals for increasing Path rank and may be assigned by a governing council or undertaken as a personal quest, depending on the structure of the Path. Ordeals for atonement should be appropriate to the original transgression and the adept may have to report to their council, or find their connection automatically restored after completion. How this transpires is at the gamemaster’s discretion and how they are using and portraying the Path in their setting.
Paths have a different relationship with their talents than Disciplines; they often represent a secret knowledge that reflects their purpose and perspective required to gain admittance. Beyond this social expectation, Paths also include prohibitions against sharing secrets with outsiders as part of the blood oath. Violating this puts the thread to all associated talents and knacks in crisis, where they no longer function until the adept atones. Talents and knacks in crisis cannot be taught to anyone which naturally prevents learning such talents and knacks by outsiders.